ISSUE 62 APR– JUN 2017 Going beyond the classroom to ensure every child loves what he is learning. A Call To Sharing Learning, Teach Expertise The S’pore PASSIONATE BUILDING TIES Way EDUCATORS WHO WITH MYANMAR HELPING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE THROUGH TECHNICAL ENRICH THE EDUCATION GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL ECO-SYSTEM EXPERIENCE SINGAPORE Education, EVOLVED Teaching Singapore students to excel beyond academics A NEWSLETTER OF THE SINGAPORE COOPERATION PROGRAMME Focus Ed’s Note CONTENTS 3 FOCUS Education, evolved EDUCATION, Dear readers, A flexible education system has kept Singaporeans relevant amid a competitive hange is the only constant that keeps Singapore’s global landscape. education system effective — as the nation progressed C after it achieved Independence in 1965, a flexible and 6 REFLECTIONS nimble approach in educating its citizens has equipped them with the skills needed to ride the economic winds of change Building ties through EVOLVED and remain competitive. Education, evolved takes a look at sharing Singapore’s expertise Education played a crucial role in Singapore’s third- how education played a critical role in Singapore’s first-to-third in technical education to-first world transition; and a flexible education world transistion. Singapore shares skills and knowledge Singapore did not go it alone, education-wise, in those for the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational system now in place aims to keep its citizens early years of nation-building; it benefitted from assistance Training Institute. relevant amid a competitive global landscape. provided by other countries. To pay it forward, Singapore now TEXT by PHYLLIS HONG collaborates with other nations to enrich the global educational 8 IN SINGAPORE ecosystem. Learning, the Singapore way features three A call to teach initiatives in both the public and private sectors. Award-winning teachers talk about Building ties through sharing Singapore’s expertise their passion for education. in technical education shows how the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational Training Institute (SMVTI) — a joint project between Singapore and Myanmar — is helping Myanmar to train and upgrade its workforce. The SMVTI is modelled after Singapore’s Institutes of Technical Education. Needless to say, teachers are the backbone of Singapore’s education system. As of 2015, there were 33,105 teachers in active service. A call to teach highlights three award-winning teachers who have been recognised for their passion for imparting knowledge — in cultural, musical and early childhood education — to different groups of students. We hope this issue of Experience Singapore will prove ingapore’s rapid growth after independence ‘educational’, and provide food for thought. makes for one of the world’s greatest economic success stories, a feat that could Snot have been achieved without its whole- hearted emphasis on education. Five decades ago, its 10 JOINING HANDS population was largely illiterate; today, Singaporean Learning, the Singapore way students regularly top international tests (see box on Singapore is constantly collaborating the following page). with other nations to enrich the global Education also equips people with productive Director education ecosystem. skills — these are especially significant for a country Public Affairs Directorate like Singapore that has no natural resources except Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore Keep human capital. The Singapore government’s total expenditure on education has increased steadily over in touch! the years, from about S$942 million in 1981 to S$12.66 Share with us your memories, billion in 2016. Education was the second-largest photos and experiences in expenditure item in 2016, after Defence. According to Singapore under the Singapore the Singapore Budget 2017, this expense is projected Cooperation Programme. to increase further by 1.9 per cent. Email us at [email protected] Another sign of Singapore’s commitment to education has been the unprecedented appointment Copyright © is held by the publishers. of two Ministers for the portfolio. Minister of Education All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole (Schools) Mr Ng Chee Meng is tasked to oversee or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in Singapore by Times Printers. educational institutes from pre-school to junior college levels, while Minister of Education (Higher Education www.timesprinters.com. ISSN: 0219-2896 and Skills) Mr Ong Ye Kung is responsible for matters Experience Singapore is a publication of the related to higher education and skills training. Public Affairs and Technical Cooperation Recognising that educational outcomes do not Directorates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Clockwise from above: Students role-play as part of their retail operations module; Technology gadgets are Scan QR Code to Singapore. The Singapore Cooperation only depend on the amount of money invested**, used for a more engaging learning experience; Outdoor education hones students’ character and leadership read magazine online Programme (SCP) is administered by the Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) also skills; Students learn first aid during their Co-Curricular Activities. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, and is aimed at sharing Singapore’s developmental keeps policies nimble to ensure that the system adapts quickly to changing needs — so that younger experience with other developing countries. ** FINDINGS from THE ORGanisation for Economic CO-operation AND DEVelopment IN 2012 foUND that Greater Singaporeans stay relevant amid an increasingly www.scp.gov.sg Like SCP Friends on Facebook Follow us on Twitter MFAsg Publishing Consultant national Wealth OR HIGHER EXPENDITURE ON EDUcation does not GUarantee BETTER stUDENT performance. @ Cover Photos: Ministry of Education, Singapore, National Youth Council National Youth Cover Photos: Ministry of Education, Singapore, Photos: Ministry of Education, Singapore, National Youth Council National Youth Photos: Ministry of Education, Singapore, competitive global landscape. THE QUALITY OF teachers AND THE effectiVE USE OF resoUrces BEAR SIGnificant importance too. Mediacorp Pte Ltd 2 Apr–Jun 2017 Issue 62 ExpEriEncE SingAporE 3 Focus EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING WILL BE INTEGRATED AS ONE. THIS WILL MAKE US LOOK AT EDUCATION FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE — onE THAT IS NO LONGER JUST CONFINED TO NO ONE SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTES OF HIGHER LEARNING, LEFT BEHIND BUT IS A LIFELONG PURSUIT OF MASTERY AND EXCELLENCE FOR EVERYONE TO PROVIDE ACCEssIBLE EDUCATION, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION (HIGHER EDUCATION AND SKILLS) MR ONG YE KUNG EDUCATION IS HEAVILY SUBSIDISED ON THE SKILLSFUTURE MOVEMENT THAT PROMOTES LIFELONG LEARNING FOR SINGAPOREAN STUDENTS, WHO DO NOT pay ANY SCHOOL FEES FOR THE SIX YEARS OF COMPULSORY PRIMARY EDUCATION. FINANCIAL AID of being preoccupied with the achievement of IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS stellar grades and peer competition. FROM LOW-INCOME famILIES. Besides reducing excessive focus on SINGAPORE’S EDUCATION sysTEM academic results, this move also recognises the IS REGULARLY REVIEWED AND importance of intrinsic motivation. “We believe in REFINED TO ENSURE INCLUSIVITY. nurturing the joy of learning so that every child can discover his interests, grow his passions, Children with moderate to severe and love what he is doing. School should not just special education needs will no Participants of Outward Bound Singapore be about doing well in exams. It should be an do team sports such as rafting. longer be exempted from the exciting place to acquire knowledge and skills, Compulsory Education Act from LEARNING TO SURVIVE Technology is where learning is fun and with the necessary 2019. As Minister for Education The education system in Singapore — post important. However, the litmus test of a good lives — schools are engaging and enhancing integrated into the rigour,” said Minister Ng in March 2017. To do so, (Schools) Mr Ng Chee Meng said: curriculum to encourage independence in 1965 — was in a survival- education is whether it nurtures citizens who their students’ learning with technology that schools encourage learning through play, such as “This is a reaffirmation that every collaborative and self- driven phase and the government’s first order can live, work, contend and cooperate in a is increasingly sophisticated. Educational organising field trips and outdoor games. child matters, regardless of his or directed learning. her learning challenges.” of business was to make education accessible civilised way,” wrote the late Prime Minister technology now includes mobile gaming To encourage learning after formal schooling, to all. A basic curriculum was developed Mr Lee Kuan Yew, in his response to an applications and augmented reality. Some the Lifelong Learning Institute was launched in The Tanah Merah Prison School was and schools were rapidly built. In 1966, a Education report in 1979. schools have also adopted technology-enabled 2013 under SkillsFuture Singapore (see sidebar) opened in 2000 for inmates, who are bilingualism policy, which enforces the study Towards this end, various programmes pedagogies, like the Flipped Classroom to promote continuing education. Training admitted based on factors including of a second language in all government or have been introduced in schools to inculcate approach, where students do online research and professional upgrading programmes are level of literacy and conduct. The government-aided schools, was implemented. good values and habits in students. The latest independently before sharing the information available